The Tape Games
by PhoenixWolf74
Summary: Ivory, Tessa and Jaydn live in a society with twelve districts, all dedicated to CRAFTING And each year, MORE than twenty four tributes are issued into The Tape Games, were one boy team and one girl team can win. And for the rest, either get captured and work for the capitol, or die.
1. Chapter 1

THE TAPE GAMES Ivory's POV

Chp 1: Fishes for Wishes

The smell of dinner is quite overwhelming, dividing me from the task at hand, to make a sheet of gold out of the bits and pieces of glittery gold stone. Turtle's helping me, too, because we all have to train for the tape games, but unlike the rest of my friends, we really don't want to go risk our lives in some deathly game. So, while Lauren chips at the stone that our district supplies, trying to get ready to volunteer tomorrow at the reaping, I sort the glitter and listen to Turtle complain about District 2, home sweet home.

"I don't know why they dedicate an entire district to _glitter_!" He says, helping me sort the pink glitter from the blue glitter, my other task. "Glitter's cool and stuff, but-" I roll my eyes, "it's kind of useless."

"At least our district mines and crafts precious metals, makes glitter and trains the stock keepers, not just make charcoal pencils," I say to Turtle, as he rolls his eyes. After a few minutes, he sorts all the glitter before I can finish making my gold sheet.

"Muahahaha, I totally beat you, Ivory!" He grins, making me roll my eyes.

"Whatever," I grumble, and my stomach does, too, as if it smells the lovely fish frying from the house. We got to have a special meal worthy of district 1, because of the reaping tomorrow.

"We wish you a merry Tape games and a happy reaping!" I say, imitating Janie Leant, and Merry Christmas. Janie Leant was the lovely lady of the games.

"Well I've got to go because I've got a delicious dinner waiting!" Turtle says, picking up the glitter. I sigh and pack up my project. I wave goodbye to Lauren and turn my walk into a jog, to get to my house for dinner.

"I'm home and ready to eat!" I say, and drop my bag off on a hook in the closet. I sit down at the table, which looks like a buffet, with platters of carrots, spinach, potatoes, rice and spiced fish all along the table, in honor of the reaping tomorrow. I look at the seat next to me, my brother, Aidan and grin.

"This looks excellent, dad," I say and look at my dad, who sits down between mom and Ella.

"A toast to our wonderful children, who will be safe tomorrow," he says, nodding at Ella, who is safe, at age 22, and at Aidan, who is four years too young to even get put in. And he's assuring me I will not get put in. I know I will be safe. We start eating, the fish is excellent.

"Wuch fuh desserch?" Aidan says though a mouthful of potatoes. We all laugh at Aidan's longing for the special pie that will come. My mom just smiles and scrapes her plate, picking the last carrots.

The conversation is aimless; this night is focused on the food. As Ella finishes the last of her fish, I take one more piece of the Tilapia, saving it for a wish. I slip the warm fish into a napkin, and put it on the counter, stretching my arm out cautiously, my father would not approve of my intention. I don't really care.

Mom brings out the pie, bringing a squeal from Aidan. Ella helps give out the pie, and soon we are all refusing seconds, too much to hold.

"Thank you for a lovely night," my mom says to all of us. We dump our plates, and head out separate ways, and I stealthily grab the napkin with the fish wrapped in it, and open the back door. I walk down the streets, lit with light from all the houses. And finally I find one of the old mining caves, half collapsed, too small for a grown man. My dad or mom couldn't get in, and mom once tried, unsuccessfully, trying to follow me. I find a corner where I know Natalie hides.

"Um, so, like…" I start my little thanks, but I feel awkward, alone in a cave, Natalie hiding in some corner, but I go on. "Thanks district 11 for this awesome fish that I, er, ate and just enjoy this Natalie."

"Fishes for wishes," I say, wishing for Natalie.

I exit the cave, and feel a slight movement behind me and I pause. "Be careful and don't get caught, Natalie," I whisper, and I feel her pause behind me. "But you're too smart for the stock keepers." I smile and jog home, and hope that I don't get chosen at the reaping.

Ha ha, boy, I got to test my luck.

"It's time to get up, it's time to get up, it's time to get up!" Aidan chirped in my ear. I groaned and rolled over. "THE SUN IS SHINNING THE BIRDS ARE CHIRPING, ITS TIME TO GET UP!"

"It's the reaping!" he said cheerfully.

"Don't remind me I might get chosen," I said, burying myself deeper in the covers.

"I know Ivory," Aidan said. "But you wouldn't want to miss if your boyfriend got chosen."

I chocked on air. "He's not my boyfriend!" I sighed, "That's like Amelia being your girlfiend."

"Ew! Gross, no! Amelia's not my girlfriend!" Aidan sputtered.

"Get my point," I grumbled, and sat up, glaring at my dress that was for reaping day. I put it on, and went down stairs, to complain about the horrendous clothing. Even if we lived in a crafting world, not everything was a lovely utopia. We ate in silence, as Aidan tried to swallow his blueberries without gagging.

"It's time," mom said. We made our way to the area, and I bumped into Basil, one of my good friends.

"Hey Ivory, can you believe the new rule?" Basil said. "You know, that they have more people, because there are two teams that win, so they want more people to loose, if more win." I nodded and waved at her, as she went over to her almost-boyfriend, Obsidian, who did not Obsidian. He had red hair.

I sat down with mom, dad, Ella and Aidan.

"Welcome!" Janie Lant said, with her over flamboyant mood. "Now for the contestants, and May the Tape Games to begin!"

"This year, from district 2, four will be selected," Janie said. A muttered outbreak spread. "Now, now," Janie said soothingly. "This is because you have so many people!" She grinned as if this solved it all.

"For our girl," she pulled a slip of paper out. My heart hammered. "Basil Canter!"

I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands. Basil? I looked around to see if any volunteers would come up. They usually did. But no one did, leaving timid Basil making her way to the stage. I sneak a glance at Obsidian, who looks shocked because of Basil's section. Turtle takes out a lump of clay, which most kids in the career districts have, due to our income, and fiddles with it. Every who lives in our world knows how to craft.

"Now, we have another girl!" Janie says, smiling, as if Basil might be very lucky. Lauren is a few family's away, and she looks guilty, because she didn't volunteer for Basil, and that's what she trained for, and I know that she wants to volunteer for the next girl. But I also know, and see the wariness in her eyes, I see that she's not ready; she may never be, even if we were offered another chance. But sixteen's the last year.

"And our next tribute is," I hold my breath, as Janie says, "Ivory Renolds."

_Ivory Renolds._

Me?

Numbly I walk to the stage, where Basil is, lips pressed together, chalk white. I sneak a glance at Turtle, to see that he looks angrily at Janie, and I look away, worried that he might act rashly. Aiden looks scared, and I straiten to get the act together for him, because I can't worry my little brother. Mom and dad both look shocked, and Ella looks like she might cry, her lip trembling.

"Now we have Ivory and Basil, so we can choose the boys!" Janie says, as if nothing just happened. Oh, something juts did happen.

"Wayne MacGinger," Janie says. I know Wayne is one of Turtle's friends. I look at Wayne, he's blinking, nervously, trying not to do what manly men do when they're afraid. I dunno. Then I see Turtle. He looks determined, and he poises on his toes. Oh no.

"I volunteer," Turtle says. My world flips. Janie smiles at him.

"I volunteer!" He speaks louder, and walks up to where I am. I look at him, and I understand. That was brave.

"Survive, Tortoise boy, and maybe I'll forgive you," I whisper as Janie gets ready for the last boy.

"Yeah, sure, Elephant tusk," he replies **(Ivory, elephant tusk, geddit?)**

"Obsidian Sparrow." Janie grins at the crowd.

"Basil's boyfriend?"

"Basil's almost-boyfriend? Turtle and I both say. Basil looks like crying.

"Oh, isn't fate a match maker!" Janie says, and laughs at the crowd and Obsidian walks up, leaving his upset little brother, Bill.

"And let the games begin!" Janie grins at the crown, and I feel sick. I walk on and trip on the way down the stairs. I pick up the object I tripped on. A fish pendant, made of glass, which would've taken a master glass crafter in district 12 to make, but here it probably belonged to some seven year old. I held it in my palm, and then dropped it.

"Fishes for wishes," I whispered at the pendant. "Keep Aidan, mom, dad, Ella and Natalie safe."

The odds were not going to be in my favor.


	2. Chapter 2

**Jadyn POV**

I wake up with one thought in my mind, the Reaping. I glance over at the clock, 5:00 am and then at my twin sister, Skye, but she is still asleep in her queen-size bed. As Mayor Vala's daughters, we are probably the only girls in District 12 with these size beds. Our district is chalk-full of poor, overworked people. You have no idea how many people come to our front door, selling who knows what, from rocks to wine bottles. I always feel bad for those people. Every month we go to the charcoal factory (that's our district's specialty) to remind us how fortunate we are. We don't have to be reminded by the visits to the factory, for we are reminded every day, while walking through the streets. A lot of these kids, in addition to work, train for the Tape Games, which the reaping is for. There is a 6% chance that I'll get picked for the Games, being the child of a man with a position of power. But if I do get picked and I don't win, I'll be sent home, while all of those who don't have parents with power will serve in the Capitol till they die. Well, it's 6:00 am and time to wake up. I roll out of bed and dig through my closet for my reaping dress.

I forgot how much I love my reaping dress. It's a sleeveless dress that comes down to my ankles. It's made out of light gray silk and has a matching shawl. When I wear it I feel like a princess. Skye's dress is a little different. She has sleeves that come down to her elbows, the dress falls short right below her knees, and it's a darker gray. We do each-others hair, mine in a fancy up-do and hers in a long braid down her back. We are so different.

In the square, we get some strange looks from those who wear cotton reaping clothes. But, this will be the last year. 16 is the last age, the oldest age. I take my seat, but immediately stand up, as if I sat on a pinecone. Janie Lant has appeared on stage. The reaping ceremony takes 12 days, because Janie has to be in a different district each day. We are her final stop, and her ever present smile isn't very present. "Now for the contestants, and May the Tape Games to begin! As usual, ladies first!" She sticks her perfectly manicured hand into the papier-mâché bowl. "Jadyn Vala"

Why did I know this would happen?

I walk up to the stage with as much confidence as I can muster. I need to show the world how much district 12 has to offer. I flash a bold smile to the camera, trying to act the opposite of that girl from 2… Basil, wasn't it? She looked easy to beat and that isn't good, coming from a career district. I shake Janie's hand and politely wait to hear the next name. "Skye Vala"  
My Skye Vala?  
Crud.  
Janie smiles and exclaims "Double Trouble!" and then looks at us again. "Aren't you two the mayors twin daughters?!" We both nod and exchange a glance. Janie pulls out the first boy name and I can't breathe. The name is Lucas Bensa. My almost boyfriend. For the next 10 minutes, everything is hazy. The third name called is Xander Topeka, a friend of Lucas. The only thought, spinning round and round my head is

The Odds Are Not In My Favor  
The Odds Are Not In My Favor  
The Odds Are Not In My Favor  
The Odds Are Not In My Favor  
The Odds Are Not In My Favor  
The Odds Are Not In My Favor  
The Odds Are Not In My Favor  
The Odds Are Never In My Favor…


	3. Chapter 3

Chp 2: As if The Odds Where In My Favor Tessa's POV

Our district is known for the lovely luxury which is obviously abundant, but for some twisted reasoning school is not luxurious. And for the last sixteen minutes of class, Alejandro points that out, distracting Sunny and me from one of the expensive classes, Glass Work for intermediate learners. Sure, it's so cool, but an hour and thirty minutes on reaping day makes it as exciting as crafting history, because we're all anxious for the reaping.

"Isn't it a shame that we have this class, even though today is reaping day?" I yawn, holding the mini blowtorch that melts the glass away from me, and onto the yellow bead, narrowly avoiding singeing my eyebrows off. Sunny laughs at my failed attempts at rounding the final touches on my bead.

"Smooth," she snorts, successfully rounding the little pendant of her, skiing on a trip to district 2.

"Alright class!" Mrs. Daily says, and we look up, and stop our projects. "We will start clean up early because of the reaping."

We start putting out art away, and Alejandro strikes a conversation about the reaping.

"Which districts do you think are going to be in a group this year?" he asks, stacking aprons.

"My money's on 2, 1, 4 and 6, if district 6 aren't being brats this year," she says, rinsing paintbrushes.

The thought of district 1 and 6 together makes me snort. "Isn't six always?" I say. Alejandro laughs.

"Yeah, district six is a lousy excuse for a district," Sunny says.

"Your face is a lousy excuse!" I say, using the joke. "Oh, that one was good."

"Suuree," Alejandro says. We make our way out the door, and I head home for my reaping dress, forgetting for one minute the possibility of me being chosen, because of Alejandro and Sunny.

In the center of town, I stand with my family and Alejandro, in the knee length sun yellow dress, that has crossing straps over my shoulders, causing me to itch right below the collar bone. I shrug the dress off my shoulder and squirm. Alejandro notices my discomfort, and I stop moving, and sit up, heat rising to my cheeks.

"Welcome!" Janie Lant is suddenly is on the stage, in her perfect district 8 clothes. "Another new tape games, another new reaping!"

She sounds so happy, as if four people didn't die last game, as if two might die this year.

"We are going to have three contestants due to all those pretty little faces out there, in the growing population!" Groans escaped from the crowd, and Janie just smiled. _Again_. "Now, we want our first girl, don't we?"

I held my breath.

"Our girl is- Tessa Baldwin!"

"Excuse em- _what?_" I spluttered, interrupting. Alejandro stiffened next to me.

"Tessa?" Janie looked around the crowd. I stood up and walked forward, smiling at the camera, my jaw muscles working at a hundred miles per hour, feeling wrong in my mouth.

"Tell the camera something!" Janie chirped, gesturing at the cameras hanging.

"Uh, okay, I guess I'll say wazzup?" I said, then immediately regretted it. It sounded stupid. Bu it got a huge laugh from the crowd.

"Alright let's choose our second girl!" Janie said, straightening.

"Sunny Lils is our girl!" Janie said.

Sunny froze, but then smiled, and I felt relieved. If Sunny was on my team, I wouldn't lose.

"And now we'll see our boy tribute!" Janie tweets.

"Alejandro Absher!"

What?!

Alejandro comes up to the stage, with his brow furrowed, like it might all be a mistake. He stands next to me, and mutters.

"We are in the games?" He asks, as if he is too shocked. I like how he said _we_.

"No we're just playing tribute," I say sarcastically.

"It's not the right time for it," he says. Sunny bobs next to us.

"Oh great, we have to capture each other." She says. "At least, if someone kills one of us, they're is servitude."

I nod along, without thinking, as a procession of Stock keepers lead us to the Mayor's manor, where we can see our families and friends. Unfortunately, my friends are with me.

HaHaha. As if the odds where in my favor.

We arrive at the place, and I get to sit down on the luxury sofa, that came directly from the finest crafters of district 8.

"Mom!" I say, as she enters the room. My voice sounds strangled, and I gulp down hard. Silly.

"Hi, Tessa," she says, "I brought you an item." She brings out a solid gold locket. My locket.

I run it in my palm. I made it only a few years ago, its solid gold, with a design needle point thin etched into it, with black ink in the space. Inside is a picture of me and mom, dad and my dog, Rally. On the other side, is a picture of me and Alejandro.

"Thanks mom," I say quietly.

"Win, will you?" she smiles at me.

"Of course," I respond softly. I run it along the lines of my hand, the cool gold smooth against my skin. I hear footsteps, and the stock keepers come in.

"Goodbye, Tessa." Mom waves, and then, she's gone. I sit next to Alejandro and Sunny, as Janie comes in.

"Well!" She says. "Let's go to the train!"

"She's too enthusiastic." Sunny grumbles. I crack a smile.

"Let's go!" Janie grins at us.

I board the train, off to district 2.

"May the odds be in your favor?" Alejandro says, going to his room.

"As if the odds where in my favor!" I call back, and disappear around the bend, with Sunny. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: We ride a choo choo train to our deaths Ivory's POV

Obsidian, basil Turtle and I are ushered by our chaperone, (Janie) into the mayor's house. Basil grinned at the sight of it, but Turtle just made a face.

"I'm home," he grumbled. He was, in fact, the mayor's son.

"At least then you won't get, like, lost in it or something, like that guy did," I chuckle at the memory. I remember, a few years back, a small 12 year old boy got lost in the mayor's manor and they found him four days later camping in the bathroom, lost. "That was hilarious!"

We go around to the sitting area, which I got banned from on my first visit, when we had a dinner with them, and I jumped on the velvety sofas with a battle cry of "YOLO!". And I was further banned from it.

Ella, mom, dad and Aidan sat on one, and Aidan sit on a couch, Aidan making a paper airplanes, complete with paperclip engines and a mini stabilizer.

"Hey," I say, and sit down.

"You'll win, right?" Aidan says, and looks up.

"I'll try my best." I sigh, and Ella hugs me.

"Just try hard, and you can win!" She smiles and I smile back. I see mom bring something out of her purse. I catch a glint of brown smooth…hair?

"What's that?" I ask, pointing to the little doll she removed from her purse. It had a clay body, about only three inches long, it's painted features in a smile, brown eyes, and dark brown hair, with little doll clothes, jeans, boots and a cute blue sweatshirt.

"It's you," mom said simply. I look down at the olive green fuzzy jacket I'm wearing now, jeans, boots and my brown hair. It is. "Grandpa made it."

A lump caught in my throat. I'd never known one of my grandpa's and the other died from a disease from a mining accident. "Which one?" I asked. My guess was proved correct, seeing as I had never known the other grandpa. "Cool." I know saying that was pathetic, but I really didn't care.

"Thanks," I said and hugged Ella, Aidan, mom and dad. "I'll win."

I trudge back and forth, stop to say hi to Basil's mom, who I know well, and marched on, until I found a TV screen. I caught the middle of a sentence.

"-Tessa!" Janie was smiling at the camera, and I saw the reaction of a girl, who was pretty, with short hair, next to another guy who obviously was her friend, the way he winced. The girl walked up to the stage, and a moment later another girl was called, Sunny, who seemed to know Tessa. Then Tessa's guy friend, apparently named Alejandro came up. I winced. A reporter was blabbeling.

"And Tessa goes off with Sunny on her left, to the mayor's place, about a mile away, approximately-"

Gee, they could've added that Sunny was exactly 1,456 millimeters from Tessa, and It would fit right in.

"So they're the tributes from one, huh?" Basil said, Obsidian right behind her.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "They look nice; I'd maybe team with them." Basil nodded.

"Looks like Janie want us up." Turtle said, coming up behind us, pointing at her. We walked toward Janie, who immediately shoved us out and onward to the train, in foot long high heels. I could hear Basil grumbling about them.

We came to the train, a sleek work of art, engraved with different art products, and one piece of duct tape, neon pink, with the words 'DA CAPITUL SUX' in sharpie, which was a really pathetic, lame attempt at rebellion. We boarded the train, and Janie ushered, (more like herded) us in.

"Betty is here next to Sunny and Ingrid next to Tess-"Janie started, but I interrupted.

"It's Basil and Ivory," I said, gridding my teeth.

"Sorry, Isabella," Janie pressed on carelessly. "Meet me in the dining room at six! Cha!"

I rolled my eyes and flopped into my room, crashing into something alive.

"Alejandro!" The thing I crashed into huffed. "It was funny the first few times only, but-"

She cut off. "Whoops, sorry." The girl said sheepishly. "Tessa." She put her hand out. She was the girl from district 1.

"Ivory," I grinned at her, shaking her hand. "Want to come in?" I gestured to my room door.

"Love too, you don't know how boring it is in that plush room!" Tessa said, exasperated. I laughed, and let her in. I immediately recoiled, and bumped into Tessa.

"What are you doing here?" I shrieked, at the red haired boy on my bed. Obsidian sat on one side, chatting with Turtle and Alejandro, from district 1, and Basil was playing a hand lapping game with Sunny, the district 1 girl. But I glared at the red head on my bed.

"Breathing," He said simply.

"Care to introduce me to it?" Tessa asked from my side, glaring at him, for my sake.

"That little lying cheating traitor over there is-" I begin.

"Jeremy," Jeremy said simply, returning my glare. "Long time, no see." He steadily held my eyes.

"Look," I begain. "Get out of my room, why are you here?"

"My job, I run the train." Jeremy said calmly, though I knew he was killing me mentally. "Your mom should've told you, with the connections with my parents' and all."

"You're infuriating," I said.

"Insufferable," He bounced toward me.

"Aggravating."

"Intolerable."

"Shut up."

"You too."

Obsidian, Turtle, Sunny, Alejandro and Basil watched from the bed and Tessa on my side. Jeremy silently left the room. My fists unclenched, and I sat down.

"Gosh, I despise him," Tessa just sighed.

"Come on, let's go to supper." She said, standing next to Sunny and Alejandro.

"You're right." I slipped out the door, Basil behind me.

Supper was an extravagant.

I knew desert would be even better.

Janie delectably whipped her mouth with her napkin. "Would you like dessert?" She asked us. All heads turned toward hear

"Of course!" I exclaimed, whipping my hand on my shirt. Janie upturned her nose.

"I live for dessert," Basil grinned.

"I'd die for dessert," Turtle said. All heads swiveled for him.

"I'd choose a different wording, seeing as we're in the games," Tessa frowned.

"No, really." Turtle said seriously. "Even if it was in the middle of a trap, I'd get in." That brought a laugh.

"Very well." Janie said miffed, waving down a waiter. We ate the cake in silence, savoring it. Finaly, we got up.

"Tiiiiime for beeed!" Tessa stretched. We went our separate ways.

"Hey," I heard someone say. Instinctively I wacked the owner of the voice with my pillow.

"Jeez!" Tessa came into focus. "Get dressed, everyone is hunkering in here in fifteen's time to watch the district three reaping.

"Okay!" I groaned. "I'm UP! I put on a soft sweatshirt, my doll in its pocket, and slim jeans. Soon, Alejandro, Sunny, Tessa, Turtle and Obsidian where dressed and in my room, and Basil in her pajamas.

"Let's watch," Tessa flicked on the TV.

"Here we are!" Janie grinned at the screen, and she walked aside, reveling metal buildings, and tough stuff. I heard her heels, as they clacked to the platform.

"Our girl is.. "Teegan Carter!" A girl, who looked real tough walked up, grimacing slightly.

"And Ethan Oldcap!" Janie revealed a re haired boy, who was average, and skinny for district 3.

"Bet he's a wimp," Basil whispered. "Looks like one of the guys that would pay someone to beat up someone else."

"That happens in your district?" Tessa looked worried.

"All the time, abandoned caves, alleys." Turtle shrugged. Sunny shushed them.

No one wanted to invite Teegan into our little "Watch the reaping" party, and none of the boys invited Etha, so our little group whatched the district 4 reaping together. We pig out in my room, eating waffles with powdered sugar and syrup and enough calories worth of sweets to fill a party. Jeremy didn't return after I saw him first, on my reaping day.

It turns out Janie is loosing part of her enthusiasm. But it's barely reconizeable. She's upright, her manners pristine, when it comes to crafting. And any other time. I swear, she sleeps with her hands behind her head, and her back straight. She introduces, smilling, Chrysanthimum, the district four girl, pretty with a necklace of pearls, and Janie a manicured hand around the girl's hip.

"This, Cinta, is Chrysanthimum, our happy happy tribute from district four!" Janie chirped. Chysathimum frowned softly.

"I'd perfer if you would be ever so kind and call me Chris." She says firmly to the cameras.

"Ooh, I like this one!" Janie gushes. "Maybe if you lose, you can work for me!" Jaie trills on happily, but Chris looks worried in her eyes, her face is a calm mask, but I know her mind is reeling. I can't help worry myself. Turtle would be allowed to go back home, as he is mayor's son, but I might die, or work for the capitol. I would perfer death.

Once, they cut off the loser's touges', but now they just get a special crafting glue applied, that sticks forever. I shiver.

"And let's choose our boy!" Janie cheers at the flowing large crowd, bringing me back toward the TV. I see some of the boys puff out their chets, looking around.

"Jerks," Tessa mutters. "They're just gonna die."

On the screen, Janie makes a show of digging her hand around in a bowl, different than ours, this one is not smooth glass, but a bowl, made of glass, but it's reflective, a mirror. "And our boy is," she takes a breath, along with all of district four. "Connor Swetns!"

A boy comes up, slightly darker skinned from being outside, getting pearls and dark hair, and he's as short as I am, which is remarkably small. Connor stands next to Chris, and they watch as Janie gushes and applaudes at the crowd, and then ushers them off. A stock keeper comes infront of the screen, and the reaping from distritct one comes on, a re-run. Basil slashes at the remote, and shuts the TV off. We sit silently.

"I think we should take a break until five comes on tonight," Sunny says after a pause. "Let's make a woodcarving of eachother, for fun." We all nod, and go to part of the train devoted to crafting, and Alejandro, Turtle and Obsidian go off to have a mini competition, to make a bowand arrows to shoot out the window with only five minnutes to build. It's remarkable. I've seen one go up to 50 yards away.

I take the fun of carving Tessa, in my carving it's from torso, to head, and her hands are spilling all sorts of colorful gems, and we take turns paiting her, and Sunny laughs, adding vivid colorful streaks to it's hair, paint splattering onto the tarps on the floor.

At lunch, I catch a glimps of Jeremy, but that's all I see of him.

At five we hunker in the bunker, for district 5. Turtle clicks on the TV, to reveal District 5, charged with electricity, their speciality being batteries.

"I really wouldn't like to work in district 5, but it looks really cool." Sunny said. I nodded in agrement. Janie was back on the screen, looking charged (literaly), excited because of the distrit's scenery.

"This bowl is so facinating!" She wispered from the side of one of the cameras,, poimting at the bowl. It stood out in the night, like everything else did in the dark, scince it was night, but the bowl changed colors, from a vibrating blue, to a neon green, to vivacious green.

"And our girl tribute will be anounced first!" Janie called, over the bustle of the crowd. To her delight, she puts her hand in the bowl, pulling out a name.

"Peneope Myrah!" Janie says. A girl comes up, and I know she belongs in district 5, since her black hair is wild, like it was stuck in one of their batteries, but it's pretty, curly, and it bounces slighty when she walkes up to the stage.

"Well!" Janie exclaimes, over enthusiastic. "What do you have to say?" She turns to Penelope.

"I'd have to say, I hope Johnny Kresar is selected, so I can kill him freely." She smiled, and waved mockily at a spot in the crowd. Everyone laughed.

"Now, now, we all know you'll have to work at the capitol if you kill someone." She syas, patting Penelope. Work for the capitol? More like being a mute slave. I feel the lights and sparks of electricity from here, and I sway.

"She's got spunk," Alejandro says, drawing me to a reality check. I blink, almost now realizing I wasn't in district 5. Well, I was, but inside a train, the shutters drawn, for cocentration. For the TV, two oposite words. I sudenly remember trying to watch a crafting show while trying to concentrate on homework, Aidan chipring away on my other side. I ache for Ella and Aidan, and Natalie.

"Let's choose our boy!" Janie says, from the Television. I snap back. Her hand gropes around the bowl one more time, and she draws out a slip, coving her mouth, tuning to Penelope.

"The odds are in your favor!" She breathes at a confused Penelope, and looks at the unmoving, wating crowd. "Johnny Kresar!" There were gasps and laughs, and a short boy with a blonde mohawk came up. There was a staring contest of utter confused stares, between Janie, Penelope, Johnny and the crowd. Johnny stole a glance at Penelope, and Penelope looked at Janie like "What the Heck?" and Janie had her eyes on the crowd. Sunny yawed, and clicked the TV off, the last shot of reporters, blabbeling, and intervewing.

"I want to see Chris," Basil says abruplty. We all stare at her. "I just, want to meet her." She goes out, to where Chrysathimum will be. We head silently to our separate bedrooms.

District one. Tessa, Alejandro and Sunny. Check.

District two. Me, Turtle, Basil ad Obsidian. Check.

District three. Ethan and Teegan. Check.

District four. Chrysanthimum and Connor. Check.

District five. Penelope and Johnny. Check.

Five down.

Six too go.

**Part two is still in Ivory's POV**


End file.
